Music-leaf turner.



T. F. LARKINS.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1911.

Patented May 21, 191 2.

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[NVE/VTOR THOMAS F. LARKINs, on 's'ANnUsK'Y', OHIO.

Music-LEAF TURNER.

Application filed December 18, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1912.

Serial No. 666,496.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. LARKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention resides primarily in a novel locking means whereby the possibility of the turned sheet of music rebounding and thus annoying the musician, is eliminated.

A further object is the provision of a mechanism whereby the locking means may be rendered inoperative or operative at the will of the operator.

WVith the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangementof parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating how the present invention will appear when in actual use; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the casing containing the leaf turning mechanism; Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 14; of Fig. 3, the latch member being in elevation; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the casing inclosing the leaf turning mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 disclosing the modified form of the operating mechanism.

The music rack 1 may be of any conventional type having the vertical rod-2 which carries a plurality of leaf carrying arms 3. The upper extremity of the rod 2 may be mounted in any suitable bearing, while the lower extremity terminates within a casing 4 and has rigidly mounted thereon within said casing a gear or pinion 5. Meshing with the gear 5 is a pinion 5 which in turn meshes with the rack 6, the latter protruding through a wall of the casing and is provided with a knob 7 whereby the rack member 6 may be operated. The inner extremity of the rack member 6 is provided on its upper face with a notch 8 which is adapted to be engaged by a latch member 9 when said rack member is depressed.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that when it is desired to turn the sheet of music carried by the arms 2, it will be necessary to depress only the knob 7 where upon the latch member 9 will engage in the notch 8, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. It is found difficult to prevent the sheets of music from rebounding after being turned, which action causes annoyance to the mu sician and it is an object of the present invention to eliminate the same. To release the locking member 9 from engagement with the rack member, a novel means is provided which is clearly disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5, the same comprising a bar 10 pivotally connected at one terminal thereof to the casing by a link member 11 and at its opposite extremity is connected to an arm 12 carried by the rock shaft-13. The rock shaft 13 has its bearings in the walls of the casing and protrudes through one wall thereof to form a handle 14 whereby said rock shaft may be manipulated and the releasing bar 10 raised or lowered for rendering the locking member operative or inoperative, respectively. Spring means 15 may be mounted within the casing 4L and connected to the rack member 6 for normally tending to hold the latter in an operative position.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 6, the construction comprises a pair of toothed segments 17 and 17 pivotally mounted within the casing and have pivotally connected thereto the operating knobs 18 and 18, which latter project through the walls of said casing. The gears 19 and 19 are mounted in the same manner as the gears 5 and 5, said gear 19 meshing with the toothed segments 17 and 17. It will thus be seen that one of the knobs is depressed to turn the sheet'of music while the other one is similarly depressed to turn back the sheet of music. The segment 17 is provided with a notch 8 which is adapted to be engaged by the latch member 9, the latter serving the function above described. The latch releasing member is of a similar construction to that illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the same comprising the releasing bar 10, a link member 11, and the rock shaft 13.

Although a mechanism is illustrated for turning one sheet of music only, it is not the intention to so limit the present invention, as two or more similar mechanisms may be employed without departing from the scope of the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a sheet turning device, a casing, sheet carrying means movably mounted thereon, means for actuating the sheet carrying means, a catch pivoted to the casing and adapted to engage the actuating means for rendering the latter inoperative, a bar for engaging the catch to release the actuating means, a link pivotally connecting one end of the bar to the casing, and a rock shaft mounted in the casing and having an arm pivotally connected to the opposite end of the bar for actuating the latter to release the actuating means.

2. A sheet turning device comprising a casing, sheet carrying means mounted thereon, a pinion carried on the sheet carrying means, a rack member movably mounted on the casing and cooperating With the pinion for actuating the sheet carrying means, the rack member having a notch therein, a latch pivotally mounted on the casing and adapted to engage in the notch in the rack member to render the latter inoperative, a bar in the casing adapted to engage the catch to release the rack member, a link member pivotally connecting one end of the bar to the casing, and a rock shaft in'the casing disposed parallel to the rack member, the rock shaft having an arm pivotally connected to the opposite end of the bar for actuating the latter to release the rack member.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS F. LARKINS.

Witnesses CARL KUssER, ADoLrH KUssnR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

